Text Message Program Seems Effective for Smoking Cessation

(HealthDay News) — An automated, personalized, and interactive mobile health program, Text2Quit, seems to be effective for promoting smoking cessation, according to a study published online June 5 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Lorien C. Abroms, ScD, from The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services in Washington, D.C., and colleagues examined the impact of Text2Quit on biochemically-confirmed repeated point prevalence abstinence. Five hundred three participants were recruited on the Internet and randomized to the Text2Quit program or to receive self-help material. Smoking status was assessed using participant surveys conducted at baseline and at one, three, and six months post-enrollment.

The researchers found that biochemically-confirmed repeated point prevalence abstinence was seen in 11.1% of the intervention group and 5.0% of the control group (relative risk, 2.22; P<0.05). Self-reported repeated point prevalence abstinence was also higher in the intervention versus the control group (19.9 vs. 10.0%; P<0.01). Across demographic subgroups analyzed, the effects were uniform, although the effect was suggested to be larger for non-whites than whites.

"The results provide initial support for the relative efficacy of the Text2Quit program," the authors write.

The Test2Quit Program has been licensed to Voxiva Inc.; one author disclosed financial ties to Voxiva.